Sandy Mirage
Hello! Glad to see you once again. Still in the depths of the Crystal Cup season we enter the second stretch.
If still needed to be said I do not own Mario or Mario Strikers Charged all rights go to Nintendo and Next Level Games.
The not so young season was withering, now in the second half the soccer clubs would go toe to toe with their previous onslaught of opponents in the exact order weeks one through five.
This led to new predicaments, some surprise was taken out of the equation as all parties came in prepared with knowledge not known before. Sidekicks, play styles and schemes could be figured by studying film. However teams could more justly prepare accordingly to their opponents.
One half done already many questioned if Mario could be stopped. A lot were convinced he and his devoted set of sidekicks were destined to be the challenger to the Crystal Cup champion. But plenty of games still laid ahead before any bets could be safely placed.
The final stretch began with Yoshi hosting Daisy at the Battle Dome. The crowd proved to be on neither side expressing their irritation by pestering them with obnoxious chants.
Undistracted, the dino and the princess had a fine game.
The contest was one all after regular time ended and went to sudden death. It was Daisy who put the nail in the coffin scoring a three goal megastrike winning her three points and Yoshi walking with one.
Next on the tally board had Waluigi battling Mario in the simmering heat. The two teams traveled a great distance to the secluded pitch. Deep in the north of Sarasaland lay its desert range.
Well known among many for its heat stroke inducing days and frigid skin shivering nights. The land was expansive, nothing but sandy dunes and the odd cactus. The vast dust bowl was infested with Dry Bones and pokeys calling the place their home.
To the reds pleasant shook Dean had quite the popularity out in barren land.
In the depths of the sweeping desert the pitch came into view. The Sand Tomb was an ancient stone slab circled by ruins of similar age with distinct imagery of a certain plumber and gorilla.
One half, the area by the sidelines had quicksand not strong enough to engulf passersby but difficult to trek in. The other half, the middle was open and free from the sinking sand but had its own disadvantage. A collection of Thwomps, in total eight slept above the field and if awakened would crush anything below them.
"This place is, um different." Kenny stated not wrong, along with the tomb's many quirks the absence of the fans were replaced by silence.
"You mean this place is hot!" Henry complained, fanning himself combating the rising temperature.
"You're lucky Dean not having to deal with the heat, is there any downside about being undead?" Henry said more as a one off comment than an actual question.
"You have to see all your loved ones come and go."
Kenny and Henry looked at their longtime Dry Bones friend strangely.
"Dark," Henry said on the off hand.
The visiting side this time around the red sidekicks saw the familiar purple trio of a Hammer Bro, Boo and Monty. Since their last encounter the Thorn Bushes had a bumpy start. After their pathetic six one loss to Mario they rebounded by winning their next one over Bowser Jr. Things soon turned back to worse, dropping three in a row. With only three points to his name, Waluigi languished at the bottom of the standings.
Today was their golden chance, a sickly season could become revitalized with a simple win over Mario. The Fireballs however planned to be no one's stepping stone and they were aiming to sweep the season series against Luigi's tormentor.
Mario fell down landing with an undisturbed hush, having no one watching in person would take some time to get accustomed to. The plumber went on taunting the purple home side with an assured grin and curling of his fingers telling Waluigi's sidekicks to bring it.
The gesture drummed up old feelings of animosity. Their week one encounter was deeply embedded in the purple three's mind by far their most embarrassing day and they hope to avenge the shameful loss now.
The person who most desired revenge made his arrival. Jealousy filled Waluigi, everything about Mario caused him such disdain. His brother mainly but Mario's undefeated streak and leading of the pack was the core of his envy.
While he wallowed at sixth, Mario was living large at the top riding the wave of momentum at an almost guaranteed place in the knockouts. Jealousy evolved to anger for the purple capped man and the plumber felt the exact way.
"Anything to-a say?" Mario asked undisturbed and with not much care.
Waluigi's eyes narrowed, brow scrunching at the man in red's tone. He lowered down to the plumber's eye level.
"I don't find you mocking me very funny,"
Mario folded his arms, his grin evolved to a smirk. He found winding up Wario's right hand man amusing.
"Is the heat getting to you?"
This left the lanky troublemaker seething, gritting his teeth intensely. He pushed an aggravated finger in Mario's face, mere centimeters from the Fireball leader's nose
"That's it! I'm going to bash and make you look foolish by how bad you'll lose!"
"Is that-a so? I-a remember it being the-a other way around last time we-a met."
Waluigi growled then turned stomping away, wiping the sweat on his forehead with his hat. Mario quietly chuckled, smirk still intact and arms crossed. After watching the elf eared man for a few more seconds he migrated back to his awaiting sidekicks.
"Woah boss, what was that about?" Henry questioned in pure amazement, seeing Mario fiddle with Waluigi so calmly was astonishing.
"Eh nothing much, I-a just don't like-a Waluigi too much."
"Same here." the three shelled Fireballs said together.
"Ok I'll-a keep it-a short, we-a know all of Waluigi's tricks. Don't fall for them and don't be afraid to run to-a the side if worried about the-a thwomps." Mario started marching from the group but forgot something, it had slipped his mind.
"And-a don't try to think of the-a heat too much."
After the ominous warning Mario directed his team to their positions. Waluigi followed suit, aligning his side in the same formation. It would be the ten players keeping each other company along with the many flying camera drones taking their every shot.
The referees were absent. They were perched in an undisclosed room with air conditioning electing to not steam in the unmanageable sunlight. Watching the late afternoon game via big screen.
The scorching rays of the sun already assaulted the skin and scales of the strikers. All but Mario, his years of lava filled castles spelunking and mastery of fire left him unbothered by high temperatures.
"Alright I'm ready." Waluigi exclaimed, taking a page out of Wario's book he dragged a finger across his neck pointed towards the plumber.
Mario smiled smugly, not to be out done he motioned his hand, curling his fingers for Waluigi to hurry up already. No love was lost between the teams and the horn blared starting the soccer contest.
Both leaders dash for first control of the ball. Both were so engrossed in their race, they were blind from above. Two thwomps slammed down causing the pitch to vibrate tremendously.
Mario and Waluigi were left alike, shaken and petrified. The skinny meddler lip quivered meanwhile the plumber stood still only able to watch as the thwomps levitated. Both leaders eyed each other, the two then recalled where they were and continued their furious running.
Waluigi made it to the ball first, Mario attempted to poke the sphere out but the purple pest boxed him out. In the struggle Luigi's archrival slammed his elbow in Mario's jaw leading to him stumbling backward.
The pink nosed captain passed the ball to his apparition who glided away. He flew, hovering over the loose quicksand. Kenny joined, crossing into the devouring sinking sand.
Boo didn't adjust his path and doubled down with an increase of speed. The Koopa felt fine and was starting to formulate his next move after taking the ball. When the ghost came closer to the turtle he moved, or tried.
He couldn't budge, the left fielder of the Fireballs felt as cinder blocks were holding his legs in place. Peeking down his throat clogged. He was ankle deep in the quicksand. In all the time it lapsed in Kenny's mind he was standing on the sinkable sand.
Boo played the Koopa for a fool, luring him to be trapped and occupy the red shelled turtle for the time being. Kenny grabbed his leg, desperately trying to pry his limbs as the spirit flew along cackling.
Boo broke off the path floating away from the sand to the free middle. Kingston shifted in the direction of Boo preparing himself accordingly. The white ghost consumed the ball in his round figure and floated charging the ball's power.
Moments later a faint shadow grew darker and bigger under the spirit. A thwomp slammed down swiftly and hovered just as fast. In its wake Boo had been flatten like a doormat. Kingston took the chance and left his net recovering the ball.
He was torn if should thank the spike encrusted stone or not. He decided to leave the heavy creature alone fearing he would be answered by getting crushed himself. He kicked the ball out making sure to keep it out of the sand.
Mario hurried, he jumped holding his foot out gently to bring the ball down. The red away side goalie did a remarkable job placing the ball near but not in the quicksand free of the thwomp danger zone far in Waluigi's side.
Speaking of him, the Thorn Bushes' captain, he was the first to bother the plumber. The two glared, waiting for the other to dare and make a move. Waluigi threw a punch aiming for the nose of the red leader.
Mario ducked, dropping to one knee evading the rash attack. In the advantageous spot the short man fell into and he countered. Putting his hands on the irritating purple leader's abdomen and pushed up.
Getting back to his feet Mario flipped Waluigi over his head behind him. Waluigi dangled in the air, gaining respectable altitude, the plumber showing his fearsome strength. The pointy eared man took the brunt of the fall on the back of his neck unable to break his fall.
Mario started his push again, he approached closer and took his chances on a long curve shot. Waluigi's Kritter held firm with a leaping one handed dive denying entry to the ball. The ball fell to the feet of Monty waddling on the right sideline a great distance from the Italian man to do anything.
Monty soon left the sand, if he dug in the sand we would never come out and retreated to the brownstone part of the field. There it wasn't easier, the thwomps and Henry loomed dangerously to his health. He became too tense and passed the ball back to center field.
The gopher was in Mario's territory only a few steps from Kingston's goalbox. Passing the ball lost meant the purple team had a lot of ground to recover. Waluigi's Hammer Bro was the target of the ball and gained possession.
The beaked club smasher looked ahead of him. Too bad the heat made his sight blurry as it appeared wavey. To combat the scorching heat he squinted his eyes, putting all his attention ahead.
Out of nowhere he was hit from behind, it was Mario. Mario checked him from the other side causing the Hammer Bro to soar. He crashed on his front, hitting his head hard. It wasn't over as he so happened to land under where a thwomp was above and fell down squashing him.
Mario snagged the ball and made a break. It was only him, all others were miles away or writhing in pain. He dribbled down the middle too fast for any of the thwomps to pulp him.
The purple armored Kritter bent his knees and awaited the plumber. Mario ran all the way to the edge of the goal box so close to Kritter the crocodile made a run for him. Mario undisturbed kicked the ball over, Waluigi's Kritter flailed his arms but the ball made it safely in the net.
Mario turned back and jumped, arms up, completely ecstatic at his goal. On the return run he executed a triple jump effortlessly waving at the nearby drone. Mario anticipated being encircled by his sidekicks but wasn't.
Henry and Dean were hard at work pulling the arms of Kenny stuck in the quicksand. The two tried diligently but couldn't seem to tug Kenny out of his sandy shackles. Mario put a hand over his smile, finding the sight humorous before making his way there.
"So what have my-a sidekicks gotten themselves into?"
Henry twisted his head then his body facing the plumber. "Kenny got stuck in the sand and we can't get him out." pointing at the trapped Koopa with his thumb
"Okie dokie lets-a try altogether."
Mario took a hold of Kenny's left arm as Henry and Dean seized the right.
"On-a three pull. One, two, three pull!"
In one yank the group wrenched the turtle out. Kenny faceplanting, receiving a mouthful of sand.
"Thanks, but did you, need to, let me fall, in this sand." Kenny spouted spitting sand stuck to his tongue, mouth drying of its saliva.
"Oops sorry Kenny, I-a guess we-a don't know our own strength." Mario apologized, helping the turtle up, leading him off the sinking sand with the other two shelled teammates following.
After Kenny rid of the flavorless granular substance both teams went to their position. Waluigi stepped to the plate putting his foot on top of the ball, moving his cleat back and forth as the ball rolled along the bottom of his foot.
The purples revolted all four crossing at once. Boo was given the metal orb controlling the ball with his mind. The ghost attempted to entice Kenny back to the sand but to his chagrin Dean took the bait.
Dean's steps were soft and nimble, gliding on the dangerous sand. Boo turned back panic stricken from the Dry Bones' well concealed brawn. The push ended as quickly as it started stopping by Dean breaking the ball out of the spirit's grasp.
The skeleton whoosed impressively fast through the sand at blistering speeds. Dean wanted to take the shot but deep down he knew it would be a wasted chance and searched out. He found Kenny using his legs sprinting in the thwomp overrun middle rather than having them stuck.
He chipped the ball charging the metal sphere to its orange level. Kenny jumped, at the peak of his elevation he kicked the ball with a tough strike of his boot. The unprepared green scaled goalie could do little but watch the ball drill in the net.
Two goals already for the away reds in under a minute, you could say the Fireballs were on fire. Kenny and Dean high fived immediately then the Koopa fell back into his shell flowing on top the stone section of the pitch.
No time was squandered by the purple side clearly agitated. Mario didn't feel frightened. No, what he felt was pride. A great wave of fulfillment flooded him, knocking Waluigi a peg or two for the abhorrent way he treated his only family left. No one messed with his baby brother but him.
The Thorn Bushes changed their plan wildly, refusing to step on the outskirt sand. This led to more problems than solutions for the irritating fellow and his team. The thwomps endlessly crash down acting a thick layer of defense indirectly assisting the portly plumber.
In spite of everything the purples closed in on Kingston. It began with Waluigi's Hammer Bro giving it a whirl at a desperate long shot from far out. The well built keeper did his job expertly batting the ball back.
Boo scooped the loose ball and passed it forward. Monty was given the ball by Boo and started digging under the stone aiming for one person, Kingston. The crocodile knew this move all too well and closed his eyes. The mole continued digging his tunnel not mindful he was being tracked
The goalkeeper stayed with his senses of the turf, then he felt it. The vibrations were strong and pounced, he dug his arms down and pulled Monty out. In his hands he didn't hesitate and punted him away kicking him in the electric fence. After he picked the ball and threw it out, quashing the advance.
The temperature overwhelmed the arena. The air was heavy, weighing on the shoulders of the strikers. Breathing became a difficult task, many opting to respire with their mouth. Sweat trickled down their heads, the only cooling preventing them from collapsing.
Mario fell to none of them. He ran end to end as if it was a cool autumn day. Instead of fatigue he flourished exploiting the drained Thorn Bushes making the Kritter's day a living nightmare.
His downfall would be his team's inability to keep up. It was impossible for his three teammates to match the mustached plumber's intensity and an abundance of goal scoring openings were thrown away.
Kenny made a slapdash tackle on the rival Hammer Bro. Big mistake, the Thorn Bushes were compensated with a power item. The power up needed to be a good one so the refs gave Waluigi his captain ability.
Once the troublesome leader learned of the news he demanded the ball and used his trump card, Wall-Luigi. Waluigi ran like a man possessed, too quick for the quicksand to drown him and thwomps from squishing him.
In Mario's away half Waluigi went for broke. He used the last bits of his thorny vine wall and sprinted in a square. Entrapping himself from the rest of the players he was free to soar in the sky.
The sky changed to a wine purple, from behind his back a tangled mess of licorice black skinned vines in the shape of disorganized spiderweb. At the peak of his display he retrieved from his back pocket a long thin whip almost as tall as he was.
He held the grip above his hat then he whipped the ball breaking it into five. The soccer balls were struck well and were falling at a modest speed. Mario's fearless goalie accepted the challenge and paid all his attention.
Kingston blocked not one, not two but all the incoming shots. Catching the last one Kingston spontaneously broke into dancing flexing his arms. He witnessed the pointy eared speedster come down, the goalkeeper arrogantly waggled his finger causing Waluigi to blow a fuse.
A minute had gone by since the megastrike shutout with neither side able to evade the other. Nothing could be done as the thwomps disrupt their dashes and the sinking sand wasn't any better.
Mario passed the ball up to Kenny. The Koopa questioned the stupidity of his next play but he submitted to it crossing into the quicksand once again. Using the separate sandy path he went past the dropping stones into Waluigi's side of the field.
He left the quicksand returning to the stone middle. The Koopa met the challenge of Monty who acted as a bulwark obstructing him. The gopher couldn't think of his plan before Mario leveled him with a rib shattering check. Monty flew high and got caught in the electric fence.
Kenny gratefully thanked the plumber while running by him. The turtle midfielder made the trek in Waluigi's goal box. The Kritter left under his post and dove after Kenny. The Koopa Troopa simply fell into his shell and dashed out the way.
The Crocodile crashed on the steaming stone field leaving the goal unprotected. Kenny popped from his shell and kicked the ball scoring an effortless goal. Scoring his second of the match Kenny furthered the reds lead three nil.
Waluigi grumbled sulking, dragging his feet. He saw Kenny run by, arms up receiving admiration from his team. Something about the sight damage the little self esteem Waluigi had left. Behind their backs he stuck his tongue at them, muttering disrespectful insults then kicking the ground before moping once more.
Kingston had been having it easy today. The home team floundered with providing a challenge to the Fireball goalie. Since last week against Daisy everything seemed to click.
Dean kept the middle safe chasing off anyone daring to cross into him. Mario and Kenny from time to time assisted in the defense, even Henry played his part although unintentionally.
Waluigi was bolting down the middle wedge perfectly in between the dead space of the rows of thwomps. Henry was near but his slow pace guaranteed the quick purple leader would zoom past him.
While not looking, the preoccupied Hammer Bro stepped on a banana. He slipped and tumbled, colliding with Waluigi's legs, tripping him. The ball came slowly to Kingston and he grabbed it.
"Um, thanks I guess?" Kingston said sheepishly uncertain if it warranted a thanks. Kingston rolled the ball to Dean after showing his reluctant gratitude.
Items began to litter the desert field. Bananas scattered as another obstacle to hinder the players. The game had been a relatively nonviolent one, the heat was too damning to try and hunt out for body checks.
Power ups were mainly awarded after impressive shots but those came scarcely. The field didn't aid in goal production, every goal had to be scrappy using the terrain in clever ways. The sand to walk behind the thwomps and the middle made a quick exit.
Henry had a rough day so far, making a fool of himself by slipping on Donkey Kong's favorite treat and also being found at the bottom of thwomps underside twice. Also his main job scoring was also plagued by unfortunate luck and the field itself.
Henry was given the ball by Mario instructing him to push and conduct some offense. Easier said than done but he was no quitter so he went forward and started.
First order of business involved keeping safe from the raining burdensome stone crushers which he did. Next was Waluigi's own Hammer Bro aiming to cut off Henry.
Henry decided to play it safe and let the fellow Hammer Bro make the first move. The purple hammer pelting sidekick ran and swung his mallet in an overhead angle. Henry counteracted by crushing him under his giant sledgehammer juke with little effort.
By passing his fellow mallet swinging foe, Henry steadily craved his way closing the gap between him and the Thorn Bushes' goalie. The Kritter looked disheveled, already at his wit's end from the heat and unrelenting Fireball swarm never letting him breathe.
Henry jumped up and scattered tens of hammers pulling more from his shell. The Kritter slumped his shoulders seeing the clear cut conclusion.
"Oh great," Waluigi's defeatist goalie muttered before being buried under the hill of hammers.
Henry punched on in advancing the score four to nothing. It was almost too easy how well the game was going. Mario's leadership inspired the rest to play with the same passion.
Kingston performed at top form, reactions sharp and reflexes even brisker. All more impressive the red side wasn't reliant on power items to see them through rather using their teamwork and individual reliance.
Henry walked back receiving a pat on the shell and light roughing of his noggin from the plumber. The gesture was taken well by Henry, relishing Mario's kindness and glad to see him so proud.
Forty six seconds were left to be played. All Mario wanted was to end on a strong note, he was content with the four score thrashing but something ate at him. He desired to humiliate Waluigi more, in the short captain's opinion he deserved it.
Mario scolded himself for acting in such a way. His lust for shaming the repugnant purple leader over took his moral judgment resulting in villainous thoughts. He rested his nerves and accepted a four nil outcome, but would work for an extra score as the cherry on top.
Waluigi knew it was next to impossible to pull the game out of the gutter but continued to play at the best of his abilities. If he lost he might as well go down with a fight holding on to his pride Waluigi reasoned.
Kenny swiped the ball under Boo with a long slide tackle. The forward momentum propelled the turtle, helping him break past the Thorn Bushes' defense. The chance was lost as Waluigi caught up and cracked a trio of green shells stopping the on the move Koopa.
Monty snatched control of the ball wobbling ahead. The big boned gopher met the opponent of Henry. The red Hammer Bro engaged dashing at Monty Mole with his worn down mallet.
Monty burrowed beneath in time for all Henry to hit was air. Sheltered from harm Monty Mole arrived back to the surface, on the way up his helmet made full contact with the awaiting Henry's chest cavity.
The groundhog, unlike his usual self, lobbed the ball in the goal box on Mario's side. Waluigi and Boo crowded the small rectangle with Kenny and Dean in the clutter. The red goalie ran forward and punched the ball running over all four occupants in the box.
In pure chance the ball gravitated to the plumber. Mario estimated around nineteen seconds endured of the almost concluded game. Recalling his raging hunger to up the score he knew this was a golden chance to fulfill it and made a run.
With minimum time to work under Mario had to weave in and out the middle by the threatening thwomps. Miraculously the red captain dodge around the falling boulders, dribbling furiously Mario had his eyes set on goal.
Out of his knowledge Mario was seized by Waluigi's Hammer Bro. Holding to his forearm the hammer thrower played deadweight attempting to bring down Mario. The plumber however refused to go down holding up in defiance of the shelled powerhouse's strength.
In the spur of the moment Mario pulled his arm with unforeseen ferocity. The Thorn Bushes' mighty goal scorer crashed badly not envisioning Mario to throw him off with such ease.
Tumbling on the stone fielding the aching Hammer Bro rested on his shell. His terror arose staring straight up and a shaking Thwomp moved down. In no time the massive thwomp crushed the Hammer Bro sending shock waves in its nearby surroundings.
Mario traversed during the mini earthquake not affecting his journey to Waluigi's net. The pint size plumber pumped his foot acting as he would kick but didn't. The jumpy Kritter fell for it diving and throwing the goal open.
Mario smirked, kicking the ball in the middle scoring. He achieved his determined target and bumped up the score five zero. Mario was proud, not of his own two goal outing but his whole team.
Almost a repeat annihilation of Waluigi's team and fragile ego. In his opinion they played a perfect game on the offensive and defensive side, five goals scored and none taken against.
After one last time of kicking the ball off the match ended. Fireballs five Thorn Bushes nilch. Mario gained another win in the column with six as Waluigi faltered further with a putrid one and five record.
The reds acted on the good will jumping and hugging on the stellar day. Mario met the eyes of Waluigi for a glimpsing moment. Striking a nefarious smirk the plumber slid his pointer finger across the base of his neck mimicking the obscene gesture back at him rubbing salt in the wound.
Waluigi clenched his fists, coming to the realization the anger was futile and he broke away from the staredown. Head slumped, the beaten captain dragged his feet while Mario watched smugly.
Much later in the hours of the evening Wario, the home team went against the visitor side of Bowser Jr. The pitch black sky of Thunder Island was their canvas of pain and destruction. Players falling off the edge or a tractor crashing into them.
Wario won by a tight margin, four to three. The obese man was now on a two game winning streak at the expense of the young prince.
Week six was in the books and the round robin season was almost done. Four more weeks until four lucky competitors would move on to the knockout rounds. Can the top teams keep a hold of their throne or would a bottom dweller make a second half run and take the league by storm?
A few lucky bounces could decide a team's direction and anything could truly happen.
Author's Notes
Wow I can't believe we're twenty chapters in already! Me just a kid writing this out in my room. Hopefully you're getting the same enjoyment I been able to obtain from typing this silly work.
On similar news, THANK YOU FOR 3K READS! It was not too long ago when we reached 2k but thank you it means the world to me.
Besides that I have nothing more to say besides stay safe and don't do anything you might regret.